1.
cutting word, kireji
A special category of words used in traditional Japanese poetry, especially haiku, to create a pause or sense of closure. Common kireji include や, かな, and けり.
切れ字 literally means "cutting character" and refers to words that create a grammatical or rhythmic break in Japanese poetry.
Types
- や: Creates a pause, often for emphasis or comparison
- かな: Expresses emotion, typically at the end of a poem
- けり: Indicates realization or exclamation
Cultural note
古池や蛙飛び込む水の音
(The old pond / A frog jumps in / The sound of water)
Here, や acts as the 切れ字, creating a pause after "古池".